More Photos From the Joplin Disaster

When we reached out to Empire District Electric Co. for graphics to use for our Industry Watch story on the Joplin tornado disaster, they provided us with too many powerful images that we just didn't have enough space to publish in print. Here are eight images that help tell the story of the disaster and the recovery efforts. Thanks to Emily Stanley at Empire District Electric for providing the images. Credit goes to Julie Maus for capturing them.

Crews from BBC Electric roll out as dawn breaks just two days after the storm.

Trucks from PAR Electrical Contractors begin their day to repair Empire’s system two days after the tornado. These photos were taken on the Tuesday after the storm. All of the crews stayed at the Holiday Inn, which was a challenge. There still was no water in Joplin because of damage to the water system. Empire brought in tankers filled with water, so the crews could shower and the staff at the Holiday Inn could cook hot meals for them.

Linemen from KCP&L answered the mutual assistance call from Empire.

Workers faced treacherous weather during the reconstruction process. Storms continued to pelt the area for several days after the tornado, making the work difficult. These three photos are of Bison Electric crews.